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Grey Ronin
The Grey Ronin are a scattered band of Imperial monks and missionaries who believe that balance and status quo are holy states of being, laid out by the Emperor millennia ago. They do not question His plan, only that it be maintained at any cost and they will defend His plan with a blade in each hand. None are above the righteous reproach of the Grey Ronin, and they have been known to lay waste to Imperial institutions if they deem them corrupt or wanting. The Grey Ronin can trace their roots back to the founding of Syracuse in M32, when the planet was a series of colonies growing on the fertile strip of land that straddled the inhospitable extremes on either side. Each colony was lead by one of the colony ship’s guardian families, protected by their own personal guard, pursuing their family’s own personal agendas. These individual families grew into the Great Houses of Syracuse, noble households of terrifying power and reach, and with them their grudges and grievances with one another have festered into thousands of years of bitter contempt. They vie against each other for the lucrative contracts for the Imperial Tithes, and as far as the Imperium is concerned, the planet is never more productive than when they are at each others’ throats. As long as the Tithes continue to be delivered beyond expectations, Imperial Authorities continue to turn a blind eye to the tidal wave of blood lapping at their doors. The only thing that has ever maintained a semblance of peace has been the Grey Ronin, the wise and mysterious friends of the people who firmly believe they hold the fate of their world in their hands alone. Their philosophy is ‘non iudicium legis’, translated roughly as “justice, not law”, and it is a more extreme version of the Amalathian belief. This belief is that the Emperor’s Will is unfolding across the galaxy and that His plan is only known to Him, so it is down to them as holy bearers of his Will to maintain His plan. They act out against any force that threatens to upset the balance that He created and none are above judgement - saint or sinner, labourer or noble, preacher or apostate. They are known as “the masterless” in local tongue, as they have very little in the way of a central authority, and they do not actively recruit. They attract people from all backgrounds who are seeking a sense of purpose or see the Grey Ronin as a way of dispensing judgment to those who have the means of escaping it. Although they preach understanding and are slow to anger, they do not hesitate to dispense violent justice if they deem it suitable. All the Grey Ronin are competent warriors, and when a cabal arrives on a planet even the Planetary Governor gets nervous. What imbalance have they detected, and what will they carve into bloody pieces to try and fix it? Pursuits Balance and justice Recommended homeworlds They will almost certainly be from Syracuse, but as they attract such a variety of people, their exact social standing can be best represented with the Hive world, Noble Born (Syracuse) or Monastic Upbringing (BoM) homeworlds. Recommended background packages Although they may be from privileged backgrounds, Ronin prefer to live a simple life, casting off the shackles of wealth and the politics that come with it. Pilgrim (BoM) or Mendicante Missionary (IH) would best suit this attitude. Recommended alternate career ranks Frateris Militia or Drill Abbott (BoJ) would fit the archetype of wise and even-handed warrior priest. You can ignore the level and career requirements for the purposes of creating a Grey Ronin cultist.